The Wild Heart (1952)

A re-editing of Gone to Earth after a disagreement and court case between director Michael Powell and producer David O. Selznick. Selznick's changes are mainly:- (1) Adding a prologue. (2) ... See full summary »

Directors:

Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger,

Writers:

Mary Webb (novel), Michael Powell,

Stars:

Jennifer Jones, David Farrar, Cyril Cusack

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Jones	...	Hazel Woodus
David Farrar	...	Jack Reddin
Cyril Cusack	...	Edward Marston
Sybil Thorndike	...	Mrs. Marston
Edward Chapman	...	Mr. James
Esmond Knight	...	Abel Woodus
Hugh Griffith	...	Andrew Vessons
George Cole	...	Cousin Albert
Beatrice Varley	...	Aunt Prowde
Frances Clare	...	Amelia Comber
Raymond Rollett	...	Landlord / Elder
Gerald Lawson	...	Roadmender / Elder
Bartlett Mullins	...	Chapel elder
Arthur Reynolds	...	Chapel elder
Valentine Dunn	...	Martha

Storyline

A re-editing of Gone to Earth after a disagreement and court case between director Michael Powell and producer David O. Selznick. Selznick's changes are mainly:- (1) Adding a prologue. (2) Adding scenes explaining things, often by putting labels or inscriptions on them. (3) Adding more close-ups of Jennifer Jones. He also deleted a few scenes that he felt weren't dramatic enough. Sadly some of these were major plot points so the story doesn't make as much sense as the original. In his autobiographies, Powell claimed that Selznick only left about 35 mins of the original film. In fact there's a lot more than that. About 2/3 of the original remains.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

From the makers of "The Red Shoes" and "Tales of Hoffman"

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gypsy Blood

Filming Locations:

Berkshires, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Archers, The, London Film Productions, Vanguard Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited from Gone to Earth (1950)

User Reviews

Not a triumph for Powell & Pressburger...

A re-edited version of 1950's "Gone to Earth", which apparently derived after an artistic struggle between the production team The Archers and David O. Selznick. It's a rather overripe, humorless adaptation of Mary Webb's book "Gone to Earth" involving a gypsy girl in 19th century Wales who is caught between two men. Predictably handsome melodrama, yet one which seldom involves the viewer. Co-directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger have a unique and occasionally ominous way of letting nature unfold in front of the lens, and the cinematography is vivid and expressive; however, they don't seem to know much about actors or about the strength of performance--the technique seems to elude them--and Jennifer Jones in particular comes off looking like an amateur (which she is most assuredly not). The film has its charms, but it has no gypsy blood--nor a wild heart. ** from ****